Alexei Navalny
The burial of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny will be held in Moscow on Friday, with thousands risking detention to pay their respects.
The ceremony will be held two weeks after Navalny died in an Arctic prison, amid pressures from his team, who accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of murdering his biggest critic.
Putin, who notoriously never mentioned Navalny’s name in public, has not spoken about the tragedy, which provoked indignation among Western leaders and the Russian opposition.
The religious ceremony will take place at the Mother of God Quench My Sorrows church in Maryino, on Moscow’s outskirts, at 2:00 p.m. (1100 GMT).
The body of Navalny, who had converted to Christianity, will be shown in an open coffin following Orthodox practice.
Two hours later, the burial would take place in Borisovo Cemetery, a short walk from the Moskva River’s banks.
The burial arrangements and the number of mourners permitted to attend are still unknown.
Authorities have not stated how they will conduct the gathering, which could turn into an embarrassing display of support for Navalny.
On the eve of the funeral, almost a dozen police officers patrolled the cemetery, which supporters worry may be disturbed by the Kremlin.
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